1 Samuel 23 NLT NIV Parallel

◄ 1 Samuel 23 ►

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1One day news came to David that the Philistines were at Keilah stealing grain from the threshing floors.

1When David was told, "Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors,"

2David asked the LORD, “Should I go and attack them?” “Yes, go and save Keilah,” the LORD told him.

2he inquired of the LORD, saying, "Shall I go and attack these Philistines?" The LORD answered him, "Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah."

3But David’s men said, “We’re afraid even here in Judah. We certainly don’t want to go to Keilah to fight the whole Philistine army!”

3But David's men said to him, "Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces!"

4So David asked the LORD again, and again the LORD replied, “Go down to Keilah, for I will help you conquer the Philistines.”

4Once again David inquired of the LORD, and the LORD answered him, "Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand."

5So David and his men went to Keilah. They slaughtered the Philistines and took all their livestock and rescued the people of Keilah.

5So David and his men went to Keilah, fought the Philistines and carried off their livestock. He inflicted heavy losses on the Philistines and saved the people of Keilah.

6Now when Abiathar son of Ahimelech fled to David at Keilah, he brought the ephod with him.

6(Now Abiathar son of Ahimelek had brought the ephod down with him when he fled to David at Keilah.)

7Saul soon learned that David was at Keilah. “Good!” he exclaimed. “We’ve got him now! God has handed him over to me, for he has trapped himself in a walled town!”

7Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, "God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars."

8So Saul mobilized his entire army to march to Keilah and besiege David and his men.

8And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men.

9But David learned of Saul’s plan and told Abiathar the priest to bring the ephod and ask the LORD what he should do.

9When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, "Bring the ephod."

10Then David prayed, “O LORD, God of Israel, I have heard that Saul is planning to come and destroy Keilah because I am here.

10David said, "LORD, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.

11Will the leaders of Keilah betray me to him? And will Saul actually come as I have heard? O LORD, God of Israel, please tell me.” And the LORD said, “He will come.”

11Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me to him? Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? LORD, God of Israel, tell your servant." And the LORD said, "He will."

12Again David asked, “Will the leaders of Keilah betray me and my men to Saul?” And the LORD replied, “Yes, they will betray you.” David Hides in the Wilderness

12Again David asked, "Will the citizens of Keilah surrender me and my men to Saul?" And the LORD said, "They will."

13So David and his men—about 600 of them now—left Keilah and began roaming the countryside. Word soon reached Saul that David had escaped, so he didn’t go to Keilah after all.

13So David and his men, about six hundred in number, left Keilah and kept moving from place to place. When Saul was told that David had escaped from Keilah, he did not go there.

14David now stayed in the strongholds of the wilderness and in the hill country of Ziph. Saul hunted him day after day, but God didn’t let Saul find him.

14David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

15One day near Horesh, David received the news that Saul was on the way to Ziph to search for him and kill him.

15While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life.

16Jonathan went to find David and encouraged him to stay strong in his faith in God.

16And Saul's son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God.

17“Don’t be afraid,” Jonathan reassured him. “My father will never find you! You are going to be the king of Israel, and I will be next to you, as my father, Saul, is well aware.”

17"Don't be afraid," he said. "My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this."

18So the two of them renewed their solemn pact before the LORD. Then Jonathan returned home, while David stayed at Horesh.

18The two of them made a covenant before the LORD. Then Jonathan went home, but David remained at Horesh.

19But now the men of Ziph went to Saul in Gibeah and betrayed David to him. “We know where David is hiding,” they said. “He is in the strongholds of Horesh on the hill of Hakilah, which is in the southern part of Jeshimon.

19The Ziphites went up to Saul at Gibeah and said, "Is not David hiding among us in the strongholds at Horesh, on the hill of Hakilah, south of Jeshimon?

20Come down whenever you’re ready, O king, and we will catch him and hand him over to you!”

20Now, Your Majesty, come down whenever it pleases you to do so, and we will be responsible for giving him into your hands."

21“The LORD bless you,” Saul said. “At last someone is concerned about me!

21Saul replied, "The LORD bless you for your concern for me.

22Go and check again to be sure of where he is staying and who has seen him there, for I know that he is very crafty.

22Go and get more information. Find out where David usually goes and who has seen him there. They tell me he is very crafty.

23Discover his hiding places, and come back when you are sure. Then I’ll go with you. And if he is in the area at all, I’ll track him down, even if I have to search every hiding place in Judah!”

23Find out about all the hiding places he uses and come back to me with definite information. Then I will go with you; if he is in the area, I will track him down among all the clans of Judah."

24So the men of Ziph returned home ahead of Saul. Meanwhile, David and his men had moved into the wilderness of Maon in the Arabah Valley south of Jeshimon.

24So they set out and went to Ziph ahead of Saul. Now David and his men were in the Desert of Maon, in the Arabah south of Jeshimon.

25When David heard that Saul and his men were searching for him, he went even farther into the wilderness to the great rock, and he remained there in the wilderness of Maon. But Saul kept after him in the wilderness.

25Saul and his men began the search, and when David was told about it, he went down to the rock and stayed in the Desert of Maon. When Saul heard this, he went into the Desert of Maon in pursuit of David.

26Saul and David were now on opposite sides of a mountain. Just as Saul and his men began to close in on David and his men,

26Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them,

27an urgent message reached Saul that the Philistines were raiding Israel again.

27a messenger came to Saul, saying, "Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land."

28So Saul quit chasing David and returned to fight the Philistines. Ever since that time, the place where David was camped has been called the Rock of Escape.

28Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines. That is why they call this place Sela Hammahlekoth.

29 David then went to live in the strongholds of En-gedi.

29And David went up from there and lived in the strongholds of En Gedi.

New International Version (NIV)

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